Advice on grooming reluctant bunnies!!

Hi all,

I'm just after any advice or tips any of you might have for grooming reluctant bunnies!! I have three lionheads so they are furry little men!! (Although one isn't fluffy at all, bless him, he never grew a mane!!) Now usually grooming isn't too high on my agenda with them as they spend all day grooming each other so they keep on top of it pretty well. However, they appear to have been going through a bit of a fur shed!! My kitchen is covered and my poor boys are looking a bit straggly!! My little short haired one Waffles will let me groom him a bit but he doesn't need it!! Flapjacks will let me do enough to make him look a lot better, but naughty Pancakes is having none of it!! I hate stressing them out so I have tried just grooming him while he is having a munch like Flapjacks lets me but Pancakes is totally on to me!! He won't let me pick him up or even near him once he realises what's on my mind. So any tips how to get the little menace? I am worried he will end up with knots and matts and don't want people thinking I don't look after my buns!!

Thanks in advance!!

I have two who are not fans of it. My tip is to do it while they are eating their daily pellet or veggie rations. Just sit on the floor and groom when they are occupied. The most shy one of my pair would rather eat than pay attention to what I am doing to her at that point.

Failing that is there anything else that they focus their attention on 100 percent?

I would try to do it when they are occupied, especially if they tend to run away a lot.

My Alfie doesn't like being groomed, think this is going to sound a bit cruel but as mine are sectioned off i just back him in a corner and comb the one side then move him so i can do the other! He goes mad if i pick him up but he will let me comb him when doing this, i put my hand over his eyes if he tries to run! It sounds cruel wrote down but he prefers this way than me picking him up and doing it

Harley hates being brushed - and does not like me because of it ...but it does need to be done!

What I do is to give her a treat...and once she's finished eating it I quickly pick her up and hold her in such a way that her head is tucked between my arm and body...I find this the best way with her, otherwise she struggles. I then take her to my bed (which is covered with a bunny towel) - it is not a place she is particualy used to and is less likely to muck around. And if she gets fed up I can let her loose for a bit to calm down. I don't spend ages on her - any matted hair, I just cut out rather than try and tug out the knots and she has so much hair it doesn't show anyway. And she squeals and thumps at me - and the evil glares...oh dear - I love that girl...

Nail clipping is done by the vets - she behaves SO well there - whereas with me she is a little

The suggestion that really did help was to brush her away from her normal area - hence I do it on my bed and then let her down to run back to her Bobo to complain at how horrible mummy has been.

I have two lionheads and grooming is not their favourite activity.

This thread shows the looks i get. http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?386268-If-looks-could-kill

I have now given up bringing them in for grooming. I keep a brush and a pair of scissors in the shed and just give a quick brush every other day. If i see a knot i just cut it out.

foxy2279 said:

I have two lionheads and grooming is not their favourite activity.

This thread shows the looks i get. http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?386268-If-looks-could-kill

I have now given up bringing them in for grooming. I keep a brush and a pair of scissors in the shed and just give a quick brush every other day. If i see a knot i just cut it out.

Click to expand...

:lol: - Oh I know that look very well indeed - how funny. Before I got Harley - I had visions of long, lovely grooming sessions with my girl...yeah right! :shock:

Hugh is very much the same, he would rather STARVE than sit and be brushed and will immediately hide somewhere I can't (or won't, I do believe my rabbits should have a space where they won't be interfered with) get at him and no amount of bribery will change his mind.

I've found the car carry case extremely useful. He's curious enough that if I don't get the combs out first he hops right in and once he's in I can just open the top, offer a nom and groom away. He has occasionally tried to jump out but a gentle hand over his head (part nose rub, part eye covering) usually prevents too much stress.